Luzerne County Council to discuss tax break alteration and coyote hunting request

Luzerne County Council is set to discuss a tax break alteration and coyote hunting request at its Tuesday work session.

A council majority had approved the tax break for Hazleton Creek Commerce Center Holdings in 2021 for a $500 million project on 400-acre site badly scarred from past coal mining and two dumps. The tract is along Routes 309 and 924, mostly in Hazleton and partly in Hazle Township.

Bethlehem-based Hazleton Creek plans to build five warehousing and manufacturing structures totaling 5.5 million square feet.

Hazleton Creek’s agreement with the county contained a clause saying the break would be forfeited if the company becomes delinquent on non-exempt real estate taxes at the site.

Company representative Bob Kiel said he has absolutely no objection to this condition. But because the tract will be subdivided into six sections, he is asking council to change the wording to ensure the occupants of all parcels would not be penalized and lose the break if one becomes delinquent.

Kiel said he expects Hazleton Creek will continue owning all six subdivided parcels throughout the break and going forward, unless an occupant determines it wants to purchase its parcel.

As standard industry practice, companies leasing the buildings constructed by Hazleton Creek would be responsible for paying the real estate taxes and also receive the tax break incentive.

The revision on Tuesday’s work session would apply the stipulation to each lot and says nonpayment by one lot owner would “not in any way affect” the exemption of other lots.

The break is under the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program for blighted properties, which means the property owner pays real estate taxes on the land throughout the break and receives a discount on taxes for the new development.

Bethlehem-based project developer Robert Kiel convinced a council majority to grant full forgiveness on the new buildings for a decade because the tract had been surface and deep mined, requiring the company to complete state-mandated environmental reclamation work and cap old landfills before construction could begin.

Kiel said last week that much of that work has been completed — including landfill capping and earth-moving — following an extensive permitting and regulatory process. Hazleton Creek has invested millions of dollars in the project to date, he said.

The company is in the process of demolishing an old automobile business along Route 309, and one of the five building pads has been completed, Kiel said.

Kiel stressed Hazleton Creek is committed to the project and not looking to sell the tract.

“We’re not walking away. We’re excited about this project and have been working on it almost five years now,” he said.

When he last appeared before county council in 2021, Kiel said he had constructed about 70 million square feet of property in Pennsylvania and other states during his more than 30-year development career. He said he was drawn to the Hazleton project for the challenge and reception he received from city leaders.

Tuesday’s work session follows a 6 p.m. voting meeting at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. A link for the remote attendance option is posted under council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

Council would have to approve the change at a future voting meeting for it to take effect.

Coyotes

Council also is set to discuss a request from Ronald Yaron to hunt coyote on county-owned property near the Eagle Rock Resort in the Hazleton area to eliminate a nuisance to the housing development, the work session agenda said.

His communication said he will follow all safety requirements and Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations, including carrying a license, wearing safety apparel and hunting 151 yards away from any dwellings.

If a coyote is harvested, the carcass is considered residual waste and will be properly disposed, he said.

His submission included a photograph of a deer that had been attacked and killed by a coyote at Eagle Rock Resort.

Consolidating departments

The county administration is seeking a council resolution authorizing the combination of the county Mapping/GIS Department with Planning and Zoning, the work session agenda said.

This merger would enhance decisions related to planning and development, it said.

Planning and Zoning is part of the operational services division. Mapping/GIS would move from the administration services division to operational services.

Staff for both departments would remain the same with the exception of reducing department heads from two to one.

County GIS/Mapping Director Dan Reese has been serving as acting planning/zoning executive director since Matthew Jones resigned last May.